Ignition apparatus



W. B; MOSES.

IGNITION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-3.1918.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

[raven-tor mam g7 W. B. MOSES.

IGNITION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPL 3. 1919.

1 ,396,868. Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Even "07 W, B..MOSES.

IGNITION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 3. 191a.

. 1,396,868, Patented NOV. 15, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Even-b0 7 g im ggim UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI C E.-

WILLIAM B. MOSES, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN INCL, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

OR TO GRAY & DAVIS I IGNITION APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

Application filed September 3, 1918. Serial No. 252,345.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. Moses, a citizen of'the UnitedStates, residing at Watertown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention. relates to ignition apparatus and with regard to certain more specific features thereof to interrupter and distributor devices particularly adapted for use with multi-cylinder internal combustion engines.

The adoption of eight and twelve cylinder engines in connection with automobile and aeroplane construction has presented various new ignition problems especially relating to the primary circuit interrupting devices and the means for distributing the electric current to the numerous spark plugs in suitable quantity and under circumstances providing for a high degree of efficiency.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a compact, durable and reliably eflicient breaker-distributer wherein a full spark will be afiorded at all engine speeds.

Another object of the invention is in the provision of simple and inexpensive means for increasing the efl'ectiveness of the primary circuit current supply as the engine ranges toward the higher speeds of which it is capable.

Still another object is 'to provide an improved breaker mechanism wherein the arrangement of parts results in an extremely compact organization and wherein the current burden is distributed, thereby prolonging the life of the breaker-mechanism and permitting operation at high speeds with effectiveness of the primary insured.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists of the various features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified by the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of the invention,

shown at 13 having Figure 1 is a schematic view of an igni- Fig. 2 is a mechanism.

I Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 1s a view of the centrifugal device. Referring now more particularly to the drawings Fig. 1, a storage battery is indicated by the numeral 1 and an electric generator by the numeral 2. One terminal of each of these sources of electrical ener is connected to a common conductor 3 andtlieir other terminals are grounded as indicated at 4 and 5. A three position ignition switch is shown at 6, the ignition c011 is indicated generally at 7 comprising the primary'coil 8 and the secondary coil 9, a primary interrupter mechanism is indicated at 10, a resistance in the primary circuit is shown at plan view of the interrupter 11, a Centrifugally operated resistance cutout is shown at 12 and a distributer head is the secondary contacts included in their circuits, respectively, with the spark plugs of the engine, indicated conventionally at 15.

The interrupter mechanism, indicated in Fig. 1 by the numeral 10, comprises a casing 20 provided with suitably insulated supporting posts 21 and 22 upon each of which there is pivotally mounted a contact carrying arm 23 and 24. These arms are of sheet metal construction formed with s aced side walls to receive cam rollers 25 an 26, these sidewalls being brought together remote from the pivoted supports to provide a support for contact points 30 and 3l,respectively. The generator 2 has an armature shaft 32 provided with an extension 33 which penetrates the interrupter cap 20. Fixed upon this armature shaft is an actuator member 34 provided with spaced actuating portions 35 residing in one plane transversely of the shaft and spaced actuating portions 36 residing in another plane transversely of the shaft. The movable contact carrying arms 23 and 24 are longitudinally staggered to positions where they are adapted to cooperate respectively with the diiferent groups of actuating portions 35 and 36. These contacts carrying arms are influenced toward the shaft by means of springs 40," which bear against suitable supports connecting with the interrupter cap and are the contact sets 3046, and 3145, are arranged in series in the primary circuit, the opening of either set, therefore, sufliciently breaking the primary circuit to induce the necessary current in the secondary coil 9. By staggering the actuator portions and the contact carrying arms longitudinally, the diametrical dimensions of the device are maintained at a minimum and the alternate arrangement of the actuator portions, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, permits the movable contacts to seat properly and distributes the work, thereby prolonging the life of the contacts.

The centrifugal resistance cut-out comprises a supplemental casing 50 inserted in a depression therefor provided in the interrupter cap 20, said supplemental casing supporting a pair of contact rings 51 and 52 the rings being suitably insulated from their supporting means and from each other. Carried by one-of the parts directly rotated from the armature shaft 32, are two brush arms 53 and 54. Preferably these arms are attached to the driving gear 55 which forms a part of the power transmission to the distrlbuter mechanism for driving the rotatable contact arm 60 thereof. A sleeve 61 of insulating material is mounted on the shaft extension 33 and the brush arms 53 and 54 are urged together against this sleeve by means of springs 62 and 63. These springs are adapted to yield under the influence of centrifugal force until the brush arms 53 and 54 contact with adequate pressure against the contact rings 51 and 52, thereby bridging the same and cutting out the resistance 11 in the primary circult.

When the engine is running at low speeds the resistance 11 will be included in the primary circuit as follows: from either source of electrical energy through the common conductor 3, the switch 6, conductor to terminal 71. Through this terminal which is suitably insulated from the interrupter casing through a conductor 72, resistance 11, conductor 73, the terminal 74, also insulated from the casing, through the spring'40 to the metal carrying-arm 23, contacts 30 and 46, support 44, conductor opposite spring 40 throughsaid spring, through the metal carrying arm 24, contacts 31 and 45, fixed fixed contacts 45 and 46, re-- contact support 43, conductor 76, switch 6, conductor 77, primary coil 8, conductor 78, to ground, the opposite side of the current source being grounded as heretofore stated. When the engine attains a speed of say twenty miles an hour, the centrifugal force is sufficient to bridge the contactrings 51 and 52, whereby the resistance 11 is shunted and the current in the primary circuit will pass from conductor 70 through terminal 71 through conductor to contact ring 51 through the bridging arms 53 and 54 to contact ring 52, thence by conductor 81 to contact 74 and thence to ground through the springs, contact-carrying arms and contacts, as in the original circuit.

The present device is particularly adapted to multi-cylinder engines. and consequent high operating speeds. The arrangement of the actuating portions and contact-carrying arms is such that they may properly seat after each actuation for a suflicient time to build up the necessary current in the primary 8. As the speed increases the resistance 11 in the primary circuit is eliminated which compensates for the shorter time ele- -ment and insures a properly saturated coil with the consequent desirable full engine spark.

The three-position ignition switch 6 is of usual. construction ofiering capability of adjustment from the position shown in Fig. 1 to a position 90 degrees therefrom. The off position of this switch is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. v

As many changes could be made-in the above construction and as many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scopethereof, it is intended that all matter set forth in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not ina limiting sense. Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an ignition device for use with an internal combustion engine, in combination, a primary circuit including a circuit opening and closing device and a resistance, and means operating at certain engine speeds for e rcluding the resistance from the primary clrcuit, said means comprising a brush susceptible to the influcnce of centrifugal force and contact rings adapted to be engaged by said brush to short circuit said resistance.

2. In an ignition device for use with variable speed en ines, a breaker box having therein a brea er mechanism, means for actuating said breaker mechanism periodically comprlsing a shaft with actuators thereon, a centrifugal device having a. brush operated from said shaft, annular contacts adapted to be bridged by said brush upon increased engine speed, and circuit conductors connecting said contacts with said breaker mechanism.

3. In an ignition device for use With variable speed engines, in combination, a primary circuit including an interrupter and a resistance, a normally open shunt about said resistance, and means comprising a centrifugally movable brush for closing said shunt and rendering said resistance ineflective at and above a predetermined engine speed.

4. In an ignition device, in combination, a breaker and a resistance arranged in a primary circuit, a normally open shunt about said resistance, and a rotary shaft having means for actuating said breaker and also having means comprising a centrifugally movable brush coacting with contacts, arranged about said shaft to close said shunt and cut out the resistance at and above a predetermined en ine speed.

ILLIAM B. MOSES. 

